


reality keeps on coming recklessly

by dancingassassin



Category: Gundam 00
Genre: Revolutionary Girl Utena AU, Ribbons being Ribbons, Tieria freaking out, fluff that devolves into angst, mentions of Locktie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-25
Updated: 2016-02-25
Packaged: 2018-05-23 02:21:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6101586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dancingassassin/pseuds/dancingassassin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tieria brings Setsuna up to the dueling arena at night for some relaxing stargazing - he just wants his friend to be relaxed and smiling again. All goes well until Ribbons decides to crash their party.</p><p>Revolutionary Girl Utena AU</p><p>written for EmbryonicHarmonic</p>
            </blockquote>





	reality keeps on coming recklessly

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EmbryonicHarmonic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmbryonicHarmonic/gifts).



It was nice to have Setsuna in a safe situation again. Ali was suspended for what he’d done in the duel with Neil and Tieria had beaten Neil in a duel that was far too soon after such a severe injury. Ribbons had been harsh to make them fight under such conditions, but that was in the past. Tieria had accepted that they had to go with what Ribbons demanded of them, it was simply part of being on the student council.

Tonight was a night for them to forget that.

It had been far too long since Tieria and Setsuna had been able to spend time together as friends. Tieria had decided it was time to change that.

So he’d decided to sneak Setsuna into the dueling arena outside of normal hours. It wasn’t against the rules, Tieria and Neil practiced here at least once a week, with the practice usually devolving into kissing and them quickly egressing to Neil’s room.

Still, it felt a bit like sneaking.

The sun had set, the sunset completely done now. But the arena had the best view of the stars on campus. Tieria wasn’t very good at gestures of friendship, but he knew that Setsuna liked the stars. So a quiet night of watching the stars? That seemed like a good thing to Tieria.

At the very least, he was trying.

“You’re sure it’s alright for us to be up here?” Setsuna glanced around the empty arena.

“Yes, I’m certain.” Tieria offered a smile, an actual one. One that managed to warm his face up. “Neil and I come up here sometimes for extra practice. It’s better than using one of the dojos.” A pause, his eyes going slightly downcast. “It’s better for us to practice in the actual place so we can be used to the terrain.”

A nod of understanding. “But no practice tonight?”

“No.” Tieria motioned for Setsuna to follow, finding the absolute perfect spot and laying out the blanket he’d brought with him. He spread it neatly. “…I thought we might look at the stars.”

There was nothing romantic about it, just two friends quietly chatting about constellations – what they meant in different cultures and mythologies, the science behind them. Admiring them. It was a nice way to unwind after far too much stress for far too long. Every once and awhile, Tieria decided to sneak a glance toward Setsuna, and couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. He could see the tension fading away from his friend’s expression. He could see the young man he’d met what felt so long ago now.

The moon crept higher into the sky, though Tieria never once considered going back to the dorms yet. Setsuna was relaxed, enjoying himself. And they were safe up here. He just wanted Setsuna to have some happiness for a bit longer.

There was a resounding crack, one that jolted straight to Tieria’s bones. He sat up bolt straight, glancing over his shoulder. Water was pouring down from a pipe near the doorway. He slowly got to his feet, making sure Setsuna was behind him. The water cascading down was almost beautiful, if only it didn’t herald the end of their nice night. Standing behind the dramatic spray of water was Ribbons Almark, arms delicately crossed over his chest as he took decisive steps closer and closer to them.

“What are you doing up here, hm?” Ribbons hummed thoughtfully, one of those dainty hands reaching to his chin to stroke. “Curious…”

Tieria’s lips drew back in a snarl. He forcibly straightened his posture, adjusting his slightly rumpled coat. “We were watching the stars, relaxing. It has been busy, Ribbons Almark.”

It was a dig on the constant duels, the injuries, everything. Ribbons was the one in charge, so this was Tieria’s only real chance to actually complain. Student council meetings were usually full of Ali lording over them, Tieria trying to make the meetings go in a productive direction, and in general, nothing getting done. At least nothing productive. It was extremely frustrating for Tieria, to say the least.

“Now now, there’s no reason to get salty, Tieria Erde.” Ribbons took a few steps closer.

Tieria had to admit, begrudgingly, that Ribbons knew how to make an entrance. A quiet moment interrupted by a pipe bursting, then entering as water rained down around him. Tieria just had to wonder how the other man managed to stay dry, because upon closer inspection, there wasn’t a drop of water on him.

“I just wanted to check in on the precious rose bride and one of my duelists…” Ribbons was closer now, close enough to reach out and touch Tieria’s chin. He flinched at the contact, at the coolness of Ribbons’ hand against his skin. He tried to pull his face away, the gentle touch tightening and locking Tieria’s head in place.

“We’re doing fine.” Tieria tried to tug away again, teeth gritting tightly.

He could see Setsuna moving out of the corner of his eye, the younger man walking over to watch the roses float along the moonlit water. Again, it was almost a beautiful image, the roses twirling in the currents of water. Perhaps if the pipe bursting hadn’t heralded Ribbons’ arrival, it _would_ be beautiful.

But something else caught his attention.

Setsuna’s shadow…there was a hole in it. Right where Tieria would usually pull the sword of Veda. His brow furrowed as he watched, almost transfixed at the sight. It was so bizarre – the scientific part of his mind told him that was very impossible. That a shadow should be as whole as the object it came from. He swallowed dryly, his eyes drifting back to the roses that danced along the water for a second. Focus on the beauty instead.

Ribbons’ expression caught his attention, though. The smirk on the slightly shorter man’s face was nothing short of malevolent, the stark lighting of the moon causing shadows to fall across his face. He almost looked like a skull.

_But why would he look like that?_

Tieria’s eyes drifted back to Setsuna and his scientifically _wrong_ shadow. Nothing different there. He supposed he could accept that hole as being normal for Setsuna. He’d accepted long ago that Ohtori was very strange in some respects, so this was just one of those things he needed to accept.

But that’s when he saw it in the reflection of the water.

Thousands of swords, obviously not really there, each and every one of them pointed at Setsuna. A chill ran down his spine and he hugged onto his own torso. It felt like a terrible omen, so many swords hanging over Setsuna, ready to strike him down. The sword of Damocles, but on steroids. Uneasy was the one who wore a crown, indeed. Tieria shook the thoughts away, hoping that the swords were just some horrible hallucination, but they stayed there, poised to strike Setsuna.

He glanced back at Ribbons, who merely kept grinning on in sick satisfaction.

“Let’s…let’s go back to the dorms, Setsuna…” Tieria’s voice was weak when he spoke.

He just wanted to get away from Ribbons, away from the vision of those swords waiting to stab into Setsuna thousands of times. Even as they left, the image didn’t leave them. It was like he could feel them waiting, like what was going to happen to Setsuna was inevitable. Tieria gritted his teeth – he _was_ going to find a way to keep Setsuna safe. He _would_.


End file.
